Harry Potter and the Heir of Gryffindor
by Ed loves Lil
Summary: Harry is in St. Mungo's, Snape discovered how his least favorite pupil's life really is, some new characters and Harry finally defeats Voldemort along with a new prophecy made from no other than Trewlany! Takes place in Harry's 7th year at Hogwarts.
1. Default Chapter

Harry's Dream  
  
A plump woman was cooking something in the oven of her small cottage where Vivian and her daughter lived. The smell wafted around the room and her daughter sniffed the air.  
  
"Mmm that smells so good mom! Is it done yet? I love banana-nut bread!" Tess asked beaming at her mother. Her mother smiled back at her and laughed. "No Tess, it isn't done yet. I still have to put it on a rack so it will cool faster. And don't pout. Go and fix the drinks." She nodded and walked over to the refridgerator to get the milk as her mother bent over and reached down to open a cabinet to look for a rack to put the hot bread on. All of a sudden, the door burst apart, bits and pieces of wood flew every-which-way. Vivian grabbed her daughter and fell to the floor, shielding her from shrapnel that was flying everywhere.  
  
In the now open doorway stood a man or it seemed like it was. He walked in with a cloak as black as night and as the gentle breeze swept into the open doorway, revealed blood-red robes. His face was as flat and as white as a corpse. His eyes blazed a deep sinister red like a demon's and he appeared not to have a nose at all, but two little slits where they were supposed to be. His thin lips were twisted in a cruel sneer. Vivian shivered as she held her daughter tighter against her, trying to protect her.  
  
She knew the man who had just walked in, destroying her front door. Vivian shivered as she held her daughter tighter against her, trying to protect her. She had dated him when he still looked like a human. His name was Tom Riddle, or as everyone else called him, He - who - must - not - be named. The name itself brought terror to everyone, the largest murderer in wizard history, he and his death eaters brought everyone's nightmares home to them. Vivian screamed as he came closer. He carried what appeared to be a long stick, but Vivian knew what it was.  
  
She once had one too. Long and slender, she loved the feel of the wand in her hands as she would wave it and cast spells. Truly a beautiful wand, eleven inches long and made of maple with a single unicorn hair as its magical core. Mr. Ollivander had told her that the wand would be excellent for transfiguration studies but all she really cared about was holding her very own wand. She had wanted one forever, or so it seemed. She had to part with it, the wand that had meant so much to her and had saved her life time and time before because of the man standing before her. She put the wand in its original case and hid it in her bedroom under her clothes in the top drawer of her dresser. Tess had found the wand just this year and Vivian had told her about the wizarding world. She did just a single spell to show her daughter that what she was saying was real but now she regretted it. The innocent levitating spell had probably lead him like an arrow to them.  
  
The whole point of putting her wand away was to ensure that this monster would never find her and her daughter. She had tried so hard but in the end, he had found her because of a single spell. She sobbed, praying that her daughter might not meet her death because of her foolish behavior. Please, do not let Tess die because of my mistakes. I know that I never should have done the spell but I wanted her to believe in magic and give her proof that magic really exists. Please save her if not the both of us!  
  
The man laughed horribly, the sound filling the room and shaking her from her thoughts. "Vivian." He hissed her name in almost a whisper. It was full of venom and hatred. She recoiled as he walked slowly toward her and she closed her eyes, scared to death of what he might do to her or Tess. She held Tess even tighter to her and she to her mother. "Vivian, you sssaid you would never leave me." He stepped closer and she shuddered with fear and disgust. To think this was the man she had dated and fallen in love with at Hogwarts!  
  
That was until he became ruthless. She had thought he was a nice person that just liked to dabble into the darker side of magic. She had figured it was just a phase he was going through and would eventually grow out of it. How could she have known that it would not be just a faze and that he would be the one that turned everyone's nightmares about dark magic into reality? No one could have guessed. He was so sweet or so it seemed to her and almost everyone else who knew him. Unfortunately, as she would discover to her disbelief, it was not. She could hardly believe that things had turned out this way but it had and no one could change it except him and she knew that he never would. What Tom wanted was power and he was resolved to do anything to get it. But Tom Marlow Riddle! That was preposterous! Absurd even. If anyone could have told her back then what he was going to become, she either would have laughed at the person or have slapped who had said it in the face but now it was reality.  
  
They had met in the library, he was researching a potion and she was trying to find an interesting book to read. She helped him find the reference that he was looking for and she joined in helping him discover everything that he wanted to know. I should have seen why he wanted to know about the raxentar potion for. Such a rare potion and difficult at best to make. The potion was supposed to be only for research but did he really try to make it? She wondered about that. She was only a year older than he was and she could not help but love him for the way he was. He was so sensitive back then! She had loved his ideas, they were absolutely brilliant and if he had not turned dark, he would have had all the wizarding colleges around looking at him, she was convinced. Maybe even the ministry of magic, if he had not grown dark.  
  
After he had won an award for special services to the school, he became popular seemingly overnight. By the time he had won the reward from the school however, they were known as a couple. He had told her he had found the culprit behind the attacks in his third year and her fourth. He had cried like a baby on her shoulder when his father died. Now she wondered if that was all a flux. Now he certainly was evil enough to do something as vile as killing his own parent and much more, was he a monster back then too? She had known that he lived in a muggle orphanage during the summer vacations and hated it. Could he have done such a horrendous deed? And why?  
  
She had discovered him sneaking off to the forbidden forest one night in the middle of her last year and had decided to follow him. It was hard to make him out as he sped through the dark trees in the forest but somehow kept up with him and hid behind a large oak tree when he came to a sudden stop in a clearing due north of the school. She heard Lucius Malfoy's voice and a few others she didn't know well but knew they were Slytherins. She also thought that she heard another voice that had surprised her. The voice belong to Paul Pettigrew, a boy only in the fourth year. He was a very timid person and she wondered what he was doing here. They all wore strange white masks and if it were not for knowing their voices, she would have never known who they were.  
  
They were surrounding Tom in a circle with others she didn't know and they were on their knees in worship around him. Tom raised his hands, signaling them to stand. He cleared his throat and began. "Dearest friends, it is time that we stand together for the cause. Are you all ready to be called out, to rid the world of those who would be against our plans to bring back the true wizard bloodline? To fulfill Salazar's noble work and rid ourselves from the disgusting mudbloods and half bloods of the magical community? To gain power and respect within the wizarding community!" They all nodded their heads, cheered and bowed low to the ground again. Her whole body shook at the words. She had never told him her parentage. She was a half-blood, her father the famous arour Lee Welding and her mother was just a simple but loving muggle girl that had gotten into Hogwarts.  
  
He called a witch out of the circle that surrounded him and she obeyed eagerly. "To join me now will be to your own advantage, my friends for we will become truly great and powerful. Come Bellatrix." He took her hand and led her to the center. He then raised the witch's sleeve of his robes and placed the tip of his wand to his arm. A red light came out of it and she moaned and gritted her teeth as a black skull with a snake coming out of its mouth was burned into her arm. Blood run over the witch's wrist and the spell ended. She wrapped her wrist into her robes and went back into the circle where she was before. Tom turned to each in turn then explained what the marks would do.  
  
"Whenever I touch the marks on your arms, you will feel a burning sensation and that will mean that I am summoning you and that I wish for you to come to join me at my side, wherever I am. All you will have to do is disapparate and the mark will draw you to me. You will appear at my side. My loyal friends, you will lead the way into the future of the wizarding world and be sure that wizarding blood will not be tainted and destroyed by those who are too soft for their own good. We will not take no for an answer. Through the dark arts, we will find the way to our dreams of power, respect, and the purity of the wizarding race!" They all cheered except for the girl hidden behind the large oak tree. She shivered. Now what should she do? What was going to happen now? She ran through the trees, never stopping until she reached the castle. She fled to Dumbledore's office, the only teacher that she trusted with something this important. When she got to his door however, it was locked. Tears were coming down her face and she almost screamed with fright when someone touched her on the shoulder. It was so unexpected and she was out of it, focusing on what she had heard that night. She swirled around and looked into the serious face of the very transfiguration teacher she wanted to see.  
  
They went into the office and they sat down into plush velveteen chairs that Dumbledore conjured. She told him everything about the meeting in the Forbidden Forest. He nodded, looking very grave and not at all the way he did in class. A deep sadness had entered his eyes, unlike the usual twinkle that usually filled them as she told her tale. Dumbledore decided that it would be wise for her to go into hiding and he would become her secret keeper.  
  
"No! You must not! You are the wizarding world's only hope . . ." She could not let Dumbledore be her secret keeper. If he did become her secret keeper, then she knew that Tom would stop at nothing until Dumbledore told him where she was. He gave her a light smile to ease her mind. "Come now, Vivian. It is time for you to get some rest." He reached into his robes and drew out a deep purple pouch that matched his robes and conjured a glass of water out of thin air. Then he mixed the contents of the pouch with the water and it turned a deep red. He handed the potion to her. "Now, when you reach your dormitory, drink this. It will make you sleep a dreamless sleep, and if I am not much mistaken, you might do well by taking it." She gave him a quizzical look. She was astounded by how much Dumbledore understood her and the students of Hogwarts so well. How did he know so much? She allowed herself to wonder about it until she caught Dumbledore's eyes. The surprise must have shown on her face because Dumbledore chuckled and wore a gentle smile on his lips. The twinkle in his eyes had returned and he said a single word, almost as if he had read her mind. "Magic." He said simply and if it was not for the chair she was sitting in, Dumbledore was certain that she would have fallen to the ground. Astonished even more so, she was certain that he had been reading her mind this time. His smile broadened and he let out another chuckle as he stood. He stood with her and he walked her back to her dormitory so she would not get into any trouble by the caretaker for being in the halls so late at night. She had taken the potion as Dumbledore advised and she had fallen into a peaceful sleep.  
  
Thinking back, she wondered if their love was all just a game to Tom? If so, it had not been to her. Who could have guessed that he would turn out to be the monster he was today? What had made him turn? Only Dumbledore, the transfiguration teacher seen through to his real side and tried to warn her of what he might do. Dumbledore had been right and after Tom had began to go dark, she went to Dumbledore for help. He had became his secret- keeper and she had moved to the United States and laid low in the small muggle town in North Carolina. The small town was a bit different than England where she had grown up but it was homey and the people were friendly. If she had been in England with a surprise tag-along child, she knew that she would have never have been accepted by the people that lived there, but here in this little town, they treated her well and almost none of them would pry into her business. The exception was Courtney Macmillan, the one that stuck her nose into everything around the small town. Vivian shook her head and wondered what Courtney would think of now, seeing the door of her neighbor's blown off the hinges and the wood turned into shavings. It was funny if you thought about it.  
  
"Vivian." He hissed as he came nearer. She and Tess shrunk into the corner as far as they could. He pointed his wand at her. "Vivian, you sssaid you would ssstand by me. Why did you desert me when I needed you? We could have ruled the wizarding world together. Why did you have to betray me Vivian? I loved you." Incredible she thought. He still has some nerve after all. Hot anger coursed through her. "How can you imagine that the wizarding world needs a ruler? I thought you were an okay guy. Why did you have to turn dark? I loved you too! Who would have guessed that perfect Tom Riddle would do something as bad as this? You do nothing but disgust me now!" Oh, she knew she shouldn't have said that and been so brave about it but she couldn't hold in the injustice anymore. He smirked at her and his red eyes grew cold as he spoke. "Ssstill got ssspunk, do you Vivian? Well then, let me sssee if I cannot help that little problem. Crucio!" He cried as he pointed his wand in her direction. A red beam of light came out of the tip of the wand she was holding and hit her square in the chest. She dropped to the floor in agony, opening her mouth in a scream but not making any sound. She laid there on the floor, curled up in the fetal position, unable to move or speak. He held the wand there for a few moments as the girl cried for her mother, then lifted the wand off her. She glared at him, slowly getting to her feet. Her heart pounding and aching, she turned to him. "Y- you are nothing but a c-coward!" she said in a kind of rage. She knew it was not wise to tickle the proverbial dragon's paw, but she knew that she was going to die anyway and she wanted to at least attempt to go down fighting. She hoped that she might be able to trick him into letting her have her wand. It was a long shot as it was and she may be getting even more pain than what she was bargaining for, but it was worth a try anyway. Her goal was to get her daughter out of this mess alive and still intact.  
  
"A coward am I?" he asked, genuinely amused. Did this girl really think that she could bother me with her remarks now? Surely she would know that I care nothing for her now? Yes, she once meant everything to me but not after I discovered that she had went to see that blundering fool Dumbledore. Now, she must die. I have waited so long for this revenge, perhaps she didn't think that I would remember what happened? Did she not know that I have a brilliant memory of the people that hurt me? Did she not know that I have gotten revenge on those that had? And who is this little brat she has now? Is she married now? That thought made his heart hurt; he was going to be sure that she was well cared for when they did get married but when she had followed him through the forest, all of his plans had came crashing down. She had acted different to him after that night and he couldn't take it. He had really loved her and she had betrayed him to Dumbledore, the one fool who he didn't like and though the fool was old, he was dangerous to underestimate. For that she must pay.  
  
"Yes you are!" she spat at him, anger flashing in her eyes. "You would attack me with no wand of my own. I call that cowardice!" He grinned, a malicious grin and decided why not? If she thinks a wand can help her against me, the most powerful wizard in all the world, why not? He chuckled softly. "Why not? If you ssstill have your wand, go and get it, my dear," she shuddered at the words 'my dear'; it disturbed her greatly. His glowing eyes lit upon Tess. "Perhaps you can send the girl to get it." With a nodd from her mother, Tess turned to go into the room where her mother's wand lay hidden under her clothes. She grasped it, feeling the sudden power flow through it and she gasped. She wondered what it meant.  
  
Back in the living room, her mother wondered what spell to use against him. She didn't know any dark spells, but she did still remember an ice spell. She decided to use that one and grabbed the wand out of her daughter's hand. Before she could summon the spell however, Vivian was lifted off her feet by a levitating spell sent from Tom. She screamed as she was sent into the air. Still clutching her wand, she spiraled and hit her back on the ceiling. She moaned and shook her head to clear it. He laughed. "Sssurely you know Vivian that you cannot harm me, the greatest wizard in all the world?" She laughed this time, a cold and bitter laugh. "You? The greatest wizard in the entire world? That is a laugh. A mere baby defeated you! And I hate to be the one to break this to you, but Dumbledore is the greatest wizard in all the world." His anger exploded and he dropped his wand unconsciously. She fell to the floor with a crunch. She tried to stand but could not. She howled in pain and looked at her leg. It was broken. She grabbed onto a couch that was nearby and was struggling to pull herself up when he walked over to where she was and grabbed her by the collar on her dress. "Y-you would say such a thing to me! Dumbledore is nothing but a fool! He could never match my powers! As for the baby you speak so highly of, he is nothing to me! I should have snuffed him out long ago. The only thing that saved him was the fact that his mother had given her life for him and her sacrifice acted like a counter charm! There is nothing special about him! He will join his mother soon enough as you will join yours!" His wand tip shone a sinister green light and he pointed it at Vivian. She shivered and waited on the blast that would end her life. However, the wand tip extinguished itself and Tom looked like he had gained control once more. "But I think, before you join her, I will hear you say who the greatest wizard truly is. Crucio!" The spell hit her in the stomach this time and she was down on the floor again, gasping for breath and struggling to fight the spell. Suddenly, the pain went away and she saw Hogwarts or so she thought it was Hogwarts. The grounds of the castle was littered with bodies and students in their uniforms were fighting dementers and goblins while the teachers led by none other than Dumbledore and centaurs were fighting against giants, trolls and other hideous monsters. In a corner, far away from the fight, was a boy with black hair with a scar on his forehead shaped like lightning. She had only saw him for a moment but she knew who he was. Seventeen years ago, he saved the world from the greatest monster of all and he was going to do it again that day, she realized. He was fighting Voldemort and suddenly, a beam connected between their wands, splintered into sections, and formed a huge cage between the two. A bead of light was moving up and down the wands, moving toward the boy who lived one moment, then back to Voldemort the next minute.  
  
Both wands vibrating, the boy's face grew tight in concentration and the beam slid to the other wand. When the beam reached Voldemort's wand, it began to vibrate like mad and something came out of the tip of it. It looked like a ghost of a man but more solid than a ghost and the ghost stood aside as another one came out, a woman this time. This went on for a while until the whole cage was full of ghosts. She supposed they were the people he had killed and sure enough, a girl that looked a lot like her friend Donna Cagle, who was killed mysteriously, came out of the wand. That did not add up though. Donna was a pure blood, why did he kill her? She wondered about that. More ghosts came out of his wand and his wand vibrated so hard, it was all he could do to hold it.  
  
The last ghost-like figure came out of his wand and the wand let out red sparks and exploded with a loud bang that threw the two of them backward. The boy checked his wand and satisfied that it was not harmed, stood up to continue the fight. Voldemort looked at his and threw it down with disgust. He was obviously not through yet. He raised his hands and threw a spell towards the boy-who-lived but he ducked and threw a counter curse at him. It hit him square in the chest and it sent him to the ground, clutching where the spell had hit him. He was up on his feet in no time though, throwing more curses toward the boy. With each curse, he began to look weaker and weaker. Finally, he decided he had had enough until a voice shot out through the battle. The girl came out of the shadows of the battle and Vivian seen that it was her own daughter. She came forward, wearing a look of disgust on her face. "Funny, I thought you were the greatest wizard in the world. Isn't that what you told my mother before you killed her?" So, that was it then. She was going to die but her daughter would live. An overwhelming relief swept over her. Her daughter would live! Tears began to roll down her cheeks as she watched the end of the battle take place.  
  
Voldemort turned toward the girl, his eyes blazing with fury. "You and your meddlesssome mother! You ssshould have died with her!" he cried the killing curse that should have ended her daughter's life but nothing happened. "No! This cannot be!" He cried as he fled into the forest, the boy and Tess hot on his heels. He was too weak to disapparate, too weak to cast a single spell even. What would he do now? Who knew what kind of animals would be at his aid in here? The boy gulped and looked worried. Obviously, he too knew what lay in the forest. The sun was setting fast and they needed to be as quickly as possible, Vivian knew. They found his trail and ran to find him, the boy's face tight in concentration again. "Impedimenta!" said the boy, the spell barely missing Voldemort by inches. Since he could not throw out a spell, he kept on running. The boy threw a trip jinx and hit Voldemort in the legs with it. He fell on the ground, flat on his back as the boy came up to him and out of nowhere put his hands on Voldemort's face. Voldemort screamed, the sound echoing through the forest. A brilliant white light began at the boy's fingertips and slowly moved up their bodies until they were both immersed in the blinding light. A final scream shook the forest and a loud bang filled the air as the boy was flung through the air. He landed roughly on his back and he sat up, looking towards Voldemort or where he once was. There was nothing there but a burnt patch of grass. He felt something trickling down his head and wiped at it. He seen that it was blood from the scar he had gotten the night that Voldemort had killed his parents. It was bleeding again as it had on that fateful Halloween night long ago.  
  
He lifted the wand off Vivian and the vision left her. She got to her feet shakily and noticed him looking at her peculiarly. His voice was shaking. "What did you just sssee?" He asked, picking her up off her feet by the collar of the dress she was wearing. She laughed and he narrowed his eyes at her. "Tell me!" He hissed venomously, wanting to know if it was a prophecy. He had been screwed over by one before and he was not about to let one slide through his fingers again. She laughed at him again. "The baby you said that is nothing will prove you wrong in the end. He will destroy you!" She cried in triumph and he dropped her. She landed hard on the floor and he looked at her with disgust. "I see that I have no other choice then. Accio little brat!" Tess screamed as she was pulled toward the man who had hurt her mother. Scared out of her mind and shaking, she tried to fight him off until he put the wand to her throat. She became as still as a mouse. She had seen what it had done to her mother and was scared of what he might do to her.  
  
Vivian did not know what to do. She was scared out of her mind for her daughter but the vision had shown her that she would not die from this experience so Vivian knew that he wouldn't be able to kill her daughter and she had looked healthy enough so he wasn't able to hurt her either. It still did not ease her mind like it should have though. "Would you like to sssee thisss little brat sssuffer before ssshe dies Vivian? If you tell me what I need to know, I will make it quick. Who knowsss, it may even be painless, I wouldn't know becausse I have never died." He hissed gently, trying to sound soothing but sounding like the monster he was. She had to play it cool but worry was trying to eat at her from the inside out.  
  
"Y-you monster! You wouldn't dare! What if I killed myself right now? What would become of your precious prophecy then?" He looked like he was considering what she was saying and then laughed loudly. "Ah, the great Vivian Welding, daughter of the famous arour, would kill herself? You must be joking, surely? Just tell me what I need to know and I will make it a good deal painless than what you might do to yourself. Don't be a fool Vivian, just tell me." Tears were streaming down her cheeks. She did not know how Tess would get out of this if she did not tell him. She opened her mouth to tell him what she had seen when there was a loud bang that loosened the hold he had on her daughter and Tess took advantage of the situation. She broke free and ran toward her mother's arms. A man stood in the doorway of their little cottage with purple robes and a white flowing beard. He looked serious and there was a fire burning in his eyes that Vivian had never seen before. Vivian could not hold the excitement in any longer. "Dumbledore!" she said breathlessly as Tess looked at her mother puzzled. He interrupted her before she could say more than just his name. "Don't tell him anything Vivian!" She nodded, understanding what he meant. Voldemort laughed. "You will not escape me Vivian! I will not allow you to share the prophecy with this blundering old fool! Avada Kedavra!" he cried as Dumbledore tried to block the spell with a book but the book was too low and it hit her just above the book. Vivian dropped to the floor, as still as a stone. Tess shook her mother, trying to get her to wake her. "No! Momma, wake up! Please wake up! You cannot be dead! No!" She cried, silent tears coursing down her cheeks. Voldemort laughed. "You will join her soon enough, as soon as I finish this old fool! Avada Kedavra!" He threw a spell at Dumbledore, he barely ducked in time, and the spell hit a vase of flowers. The vase shattered into minute pieces and the flowers fell at Dumbledore's feet unceremoniously, the glass sounding like music as it hit the floor. He muttered "Reparo!" and the vase was fixed. He threw a spell at Voldemort to distract him and tossed the girl a locket he got from one of many pockets in his robes.  
  
"Hold onto the locket and count to ten. Do not let go of it no matter what. Do not leave where it takes you." She did so and vanished before their eyes while Dumbledore and Voldemort were fighting. Voldemort noticed that the girl was gone, cursed and vanished into thin air. Dumbledore followed and the house was empty. 


	2. The letter for Dudley

The letter for Dudley  
  
Harry Potter woke up on a hot, summer day but was chilled by what he had seen in the dream. After he woke from it, he could not remember much about it except for a girl with red hair and green eyes, like his. He tried to remember it but could not. There was only certain parts that he could remember like that the girl and him were in the Forbidden Forest chasing Voldemort and then something about blood and Dumbledore at a house he had never seen before where Voldemort killed a woman and tried to kill the girl. He was shook from his thoughts when he heard a scream from the kitchen. He threw the cover back and ran to the steps to see what was going on. Then he slid down the banister. He landed on his feet and finished the rest of the way to the kitchen with a sprint. What he saw was a close second to the horrors of his dream.  
  
His aunt Petunia had a letter in her hand with the Hogwarts School seal on the envelope. He froze unable to say anything; his mouth had gone as dry as ginger ale. Who would be getting a letter from Hogwarts here? He wondered if it was for him and then wanted to kick himself silly for it. Of course, it would be for him. He was the only student here that goes to Hogwarts so it was for him. Why hadn't the owl come to his window instead of scaring them? Dudley was looking at the letter and trying to snatch it out of her hand. "Mum! Let me see it! Please! Come on mum!" Remembering that it was his birthday and that he could finally do magic away from Hogwarts, he decided to see what the letter was about since his aunt wasn't going to say anything about it since she looked like she was in shock. "Accio!" he said, pointing his wand at the parchment in his aunt's hand. It slipped through her fingers and glided through the air to him. It landed gracefully in his hands. When he had read the first line, he paled and looked at his aunt.  
  
Dear Mr. Dudley Dursley,  
  
You have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.  
  
Enclosed is a list of the things you will need for the following school year and a ticket to board the Hogwarts Express on September the first on  
  
Platform 9 ¾. The Hogwarts Express will leave at 11'clock prompt so be certain that you arrive on time. We look forward to your owl no later by  
  
August 20.  
  
Sincerely,  
  
Albus Dumbledore  
  
First Class Order of Merlin  
  
Chief Warlock of the Wizard's Council  
  
Head Council member of the Wizengamot  
  
Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry  
  
Harry couldn't believe his eyes, Dudley at Hogwarts? Now his life there would be ruined for sure. Unless . . . he looked at his aunt and uncle hopefully. There was no way that they would let Dudley go. That wouldn't be normal and they loathed anything that wasn't normal. He smiled. He definitely didn't have to worry about that. Dudley tried to grab it out of Harry's hand and succeeded. Dudley read it quickly and was dumbfounded. Harry hid a grin. It didn't take much to dumbfound that idiot. He looked to Harry, then his mom and dad and pleaded them to let him go. "No way in Hell are you going to that confounded school! No son of mine will ever go!" shouted uncle Vernon, turning purple in the face. The Dursley's had a shouting match about it and Harry tried to sneak up to his room but uncle Vernon caught him by the collar and swung him around. "And just where do you think your going?" he snarled and threw Harry against the wall with a bone-shattering force. He kicked Harry in the ribs where his hand had been just moments before. Harry thought for sure his ribs were broken now if they weren't when he was thrown against the wall. Harry saw stars as his uncle started to berate him and raised his fist to punch him.  
  
Harry pulled out the wand from his back pocket and pointed it at his uncle. His uncle stopped for a moment but then smirked at him. "I know you can't use magic or they will throw you out of that nuthouse school of yours." He raised his fist again and Harry said "Stupefy!" before his uncle had landed the punch. His uncle's face contorted in a look of surprise as he was knocked backward by a beam of red light that came out of his wand and Uncle Vernon crashed into the table. Dudley ran into the other room. Harry narrowed his eyes at his uncle. "I forgot to mention that I am of age in the wizarding world now and am allowed to do magic." He smirked at his uncle lying on the ground. Mad as a hornet, he got to his feet. Harry looked at his uncle, and if looks alone could kill, his uncle would be dead a thousand times over. "Don't make me use this Uncle Vernon." Harry said warningly. Vernon backed off. With his eyes glittering with malice and rage just barely hidden underneath, he snarled, "You will get your stuff and leave this minute! I put up with you for far too long now and I will not put up with it anymore!" Harry looked him in the eye and said something he had wanted to say for a long time. "You know what, I think I will and if you even step a foot to where I move to, you will be sorry. I hope you know that I was the only one who was protecting you from Voldemort. In the end, you will wish that I were here when he walks in here and kill all of you. You will have no defense when I leave. You are the biggest fool I have ever met to throw me out and I will not about to let a stupid muggle like you do the job for him. " He replied coldly and painfully, gasping for air.  
  
He walked up the steps to pack his things that he would need to leave. He touched the place where Vernon had slammed him against the wall and felt a bone in his rib cage were out of place. He hated all of them so much, he really did wish that Voldemort would come and finish them off. He shook his head. As terrible as that sounded and as much as they deserved it, he couldn't wish it on them. He sighed and said "Pack!" and everything flew in his Hogwarts trunk. He laid his broom on top and closed, and locked the lid in place. "Locomortis trunk!" he said as the trunk suddenly floated in the air. "Scrougify!" he pointed his wand at Hedwig's cage and it was clean as a whistle. "Accio cage!" the cage flew straight toward him and he caught it with ease. He looked around the room for the final time, satisfied that he had gotten everything, went downstairs for what he hoped would be the last time. He was thinking of hugging his aunt goodbye since she had never been quite as mean to him as Vernon and Dudley, and the fact that she was, after all, his mother's sister. He decided that he would like to do that and started down the stairs. He knew to stay on his guard though. Uncle Vernon would love to catch him off-guard since he had just embarrassed him in front of his family. He clutched his wand tighter as he walked down the staircase.  
  
He cast the spell to let his trunks down for a moment. He reached out for his aunt and said goodbye. He expected a cold shoulder or a rude remark for trying to hug her, but never did he expect the tears that fell on her cheeks. Nor did he expect the hug that followed his. She hugged him back and told him that she loved him and begged him to forgive her for all the cruel and mean things she had done. Harry looked at his aunt closely and seen that she might not be so bad. He whispered in her ear that she could come over when he found a place. She cried even harder on his shoulder. Harry looked behind him at just the right moment because Vernon was slowly sneaking up behind him. He turned, quick as lightning and shouted "Petrificus Totalus!" Harry's uncle fell to the floor as stiff as a board. His aunt screamed and Harry looked at her and told her to calm down. "He will be alright. I will levitate him to the couch and will take the spell off as soon as I get to the door. I love you aunt Petunia." She wrapped him in another hug and Harry hugged her back. He turned to his uncle lying stiff on the ground and thought about leaving him like that and smiled. "Locomotoris!" and his uncle rose into the air and followed Harry's wand to the couch in the living room. "Finite incantatem!" He cried as his uncle dropped to the couch and began moaning and moving around.  
  
Harry went to the kitchen to get his stuff and put the same levitating spell on them as before. He walked outside, raised and muttered "lumos!" as he held his wand high in the air to alert the Knight Bus to pick him up. His aunt came to the door and they hugged again. "I will send a letter to Mrs. Figg to give to you so uncle Vernon doesn't know, okay?" Boom! The big, purple bus arrived. Petunia hugged him again and told him that she loved him and would get the letters from her. She might have tea with her today, she said. He got on the bus and was greeted by the driver Stan. "How are ye' Harry? Look Ern, its 'arry Potter!" Harry groaned inwardly. He didn't want the whole wizarding world to know he had gotten on the bus. Who knew if one of them might not be looking for him under Voldemort's orders? He clutched his chest were uncle Vernon had broken his rib. "So where to 'arry?" Stan chuckled. Harry barely had the breath to whisper, "Number twelve, Grimmauld place, please." He gave them fifteen sickles and took a seat in one of the chairs that was set up haphazardly around the bus. There was not anyone on today. Harry sighed deeply. You never could tell where dark wizards were around and in this day and time, you didn't know who to trust.  
  
With a bang, the bus was gone and in seconds the bus was at Grimmauld Place number twelve. He remembered the address and a black colored house came into view, squeezing in between the other two houses. Harry knocked at the door and it opened quickly to reveal Lupin and he gave a hoarse yelp when he seen Harry at the door. "Harry, are you okay? Why are you here? What happened?" Harry walked in with Lupin into the living room and they both sat on the couch. Harry muttered the words he said earlier to let his trunks fall to the floor. He looked at Lupin and told him what had happened at the Dursley's and Lupin's lips drew into the same thin line as his teacher and head of house, McGonagall when he told him that uncle Vernon had slung him against the wall and kicked him in the chest. He touched the out-of-place bone unconsciously as he finished the story. By the end, Harry was as hoarse as Lupin and feeling very weak. "Harry, why are you holding your hand there? May I see?" Lupin asked softly. Harry quickly moved his hand. He didn't want to show Lupin that the bastard had broken his rib, but Lupin insisted and Harry gave in. Lupin gave a sharp intake of breath and told Harry that his ribs was broken and that he was taken him to St. Mungo's for treatment.  
  
"That lowly, cowardly bastard! Wait till I get my hands on him! He doesn't like magic, huh? I will make him wish he were dead! Maybe I'll even give him a bite to remember." He threatened menacingly. Molly burst into the room, wanting to know why Lupin was saying such rude things when he never had even muttered one while she was around. "Lupin! What in the world is the matter with you? I have never heard you speak that way before. Harry!" she said, just noticing him then. "How did you get here? I didn't hear you come in. Has something happened?" Lupin looked like he was going to be sick. "Look at his ribs Molly. That sorry son-of-a" Molly gave him a withering look and he fell quiet. She screamed when she saw what Lupin was talking about. "Who did this to you? Was it that sorry uncle of yours? Of course, I can see it now. That bastard!" she went on her own little rant until Snape walked in the room.  
  
Harry closed his eyes and hoped it was a bad dream that would end when he opened them again. He opened them again and Snape was still there in his usual billowing green-black robes and he had his usual sneer across his face. Oh great, just what I need now. Snape to make fun of me while I am down, he thought. "Potter, why are you here now? Are you not supposed to be at your relative's?" Harry sat up painfully and tried to talk, but all he could get out was a wheeze. He tried again but couldn't and Lupin took up the story. He told Snape that Harry's uncle had mistaken him for a rag doll and slammed him against the wall. Snape shook his head in shock. Maybe the boy isn't treated like a celebrity at home. He shivered and thought, maybe he is treated like me when I was young.  
  
Snape drew a stretcher in the air and one popped seemingly out of it. He levitated it, picked Harry up gently and put him on it. Harry was surprised with the gentleness in which Snape done this and wondered, for a moment at least, if he had the wrong impression about Snape. "Grasp one side of this Lupin and on the count of three we will apparate to St. Mungo's where he can be treated. Potter," he said looking at Harry, "You will not stay at the Dursley's any longer if I have a say about this. I will speak to the headmaster myself." Snape said in an unusually shaky voice with rage just barely hidden. Harry was thoroughly shocked. Here Snape was, the teacher who hated him the most, was going to help Harry to stay away from the Dursley's for good. It was almost laughable! He coughed and blood came out on the stretcher. "Th - thank you." Harry said weakly. In truth, his head was spinning and he longed for a good nap. Molly screamed when she saw that he had coughed up blood. Harry tried to raise his head up to tell Molly not to worry about him but he was too weak to. He saw black and knew no more. 


	3. St Mungos

St. Mungo's  
  
Harry opened his eyes and looked around. It was early, he could tell. There was a window beside of the bed he was in and the sky was colored beautifully with baby pinks and light purples and pale oranges. It almost looked like an artist's canvas. He looked around the room. Ron and Hermione were asleep on a loveseat in the corner of the room, Hermione's head resting on Ron's chest. Harry smiled to himself. He knew that Ron had feelings for Hermione and vice versa. He was thinking of a way to set them up together, when Hermione moved. "Hey sleepyhead, time to wake up." Harry said softly and Hermione jerked awake. "Harry! You're awake!" Hermione said, shaking Ron awake. "Ron! Wake up! Harry's awake!" Ron threw out his arm to her and mumbled something that Harry didn't catch but Hermione heard. "Fine then. If you want to play it that way. . ." She grabbed him by his feet and jerked him off the loveseat. Harry laughed at his friend's antics. Ron got up and sat back on the love seat. "Why did you do that for 'Mione?" he asked sleepily, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. Harry laughed even more. "Hello Ron." He said and Ron's eyes jerked open. "Harry! Your awake! How are you feeling, mate?" Harry laughed until his ribs began hurting and he had to stop. He grinned at his best friend and said, " Yeah, I know I'm awake. Tell me something I don't know." Ron thought for a minute. "Um, - Fred and George have invented rainbow pops that makes your hair turn different colors. Will that do for something you don't know?" Crack! Harry, Ron and Hermione jumped as Fred and George appeared in the room. "I thought I heard someone call our name!" said Fred and George nodded. "You haven't given away our little secret, now have you, little Ronniekins?" Harry thought Hermione looked like she was about to scream at them for apparating in the room behind her, but George undid a rainbow pop and put it in her mouth as quick as lightning. It caused her hair to turn all kinds of colors, from blue and purple to pink and orange, almost the same colors of the sunrise Harry had seen when he first woke up. Harry, Ron and the twins burst into laughter and Hermione pulled the sucker out of her mouth. "That was not funny Fred!" she exclaimed and Fred and George grinned. "I'm not Fred, I'm George." Hermione apologized and they grinned like mad. "Just kidding Hermione. I am Fred." Hermione frowned at them. "I can't stand it when you two do that!" she said irritated at them. "Hey, Fred, you got anymore of those?" Harry asked and Fred reached in his pocket. "Here you are Harry. How are you feeling by the way?" he asked as he gave Harry the sucker. "Okay I guess. Thanks Fred." He unwrapped the sucker and put it in his mouth. It tasted like strawberries to him. Hermione spotted his hair and gasped. "Oh no! Tell me that you didn't give me one of those!" she whined as she ran to the mirror and shrieked when she saw her hair. It was still turning colors. "Fred! I am going to kill you!" There was a short exchange between them where Fred told Hermione that she would have to catch him first and Hermione mumbled a spell that put Fred in a body-wrap before Fred could even move from the spot he was at. Harry, Ron and George laughed and Hermione released him and joined in the laughter. 


	4. Broken Bones and Conversations

Broken bones and conversations The door opened and Dumbledore came in, hearing the laughter, smiled. "I appeared to have missed something unless it is about the choices of hair color that Mr. Potter and Mrs. Granger have chosen to adorn." He said with the familiar twinkle in his eyes. Hermione laughed. "No sir. Fred and George invented some sucker that turns your hair different colors and forced one on me. Harry wanted one after my hair changed colors." Dumbledore's eyebrows disappeared into his hair in surprise and Harry laughed even more. Fred and George grinned. "Would you like one, Dumbledore sir?" Fred asked casually and Dumbledore smiled. "Certainly, Fred." Fred gave one of the suckers he had in his pocket to him. Dumbledore opened it and put it in his mouth. Immediately, his hair had turned the same colors as Harry's and Hermione's. He looked in the mirror and smiled. Everyone laughed joyfully. "Now then, to business. I need to speak with Harry alone for a few moments and then you may return. I suggest a trip to the tea room since you won't be able to use those wonderful extendable ears." Fred and George's eyes grew to the size of Galleons. "What? How did you . . ." sputtered Fred as George began to question another route. "When did you . . ." asked George in total shock that Dumbledore had discovered the extendable ears. The twins looked at each other and spoke one word: "Mom." Dumbledore chuckled. "It doesn't matter how I discovered it, I know about them and I would like to speak with Harry privately. Give us until . . . " he looked at his watch, "8:00 then you may come back in." He gestured toward the door. "Until then." Hermione hugged Harry and asked him if he wanted anything. Harry thought about it and shook his head no and she left. Ron slapped him a high-five and went to catch up with Hermione. The twins came up and Fred gave him another sucker and George told Harry that they would be back. Harry nodded and his stomach grew tighter with dread. He wondered what Dumbledore wanted to talk about with him. He figured it would be about how he had gotten hurt and Harry did not really want to talk about it right now. He was caught slightly off-guard when Dumbledore began. He sighed deeply and began. "Harry I know this is going to be hard for you to talk about but there are some things I need to know. When did your uncle start hitting you?" Harry's eyes flew open in shock; he didn't expect Dumbledore to ask that, but thinking on it for a minute, it made sense. Either Molly, Lupin or Snape had had to have told him. He wondered if Snape had really done what he said he was going to do. Probably, he thought. That must be why Dumbledore is here. Harry sighed and looked at his feet that he noticed were devoid of shoes. Probably one of the healer's took them off he thought to himself. Harry cleared his throat and began. "I was three. I made a glass float in the air to amuse myself and he knocked me off the chair and kicked me in the stomach, then made me go to bed without any supper. Like that's anything new though." Harry said quietly and sighed to himself. Dumbledore's eyes grew sad. Silent tears coursed down the Headmaster's cheeks. "What about your aunt? How did she treat you?" he asked, trying not to get too wrapped up in his emotions but it was difficult not to. He loved this boy so much that Harry's every hurt was his too. Harry shrugged. "She was, well, okay I guess. We hugged before I left. I'm afraid that I did have to use magic on a muggle though. It was my uncle sir." Dumbledore nodded and told Harry that he deserved it. "Dumbledore sir?" he asked, suddenly remembering that Dudley got a letter from Hogwarts. Harry had been curious why a letter would have been sent to Dudley and was hoping that the letter that his cousin received was by accident but how could it be if it had Dudley's name on it? Was he not too old to attend Hogwarts? He wondered what house he would go into. Harry just hoped that the sorting hat would be careful about the comments that it dished out, because if not then the hat might be in for a little bit of what Harry got before he went to Hogwarts. "Yes Harry?" said Dumbledore gently. He thought that he might have an inkling of an idea to what Harry wanted to know. "How did Dudley get a letter from Hogwarts? I mean, he is a bit too old to be a beginner at Hogwarts, isn't he? Won't everybody pick on him because he is older?" Dumbledore sighed. "Harry, it is not me that selects the students for the up-coming year. That is a decision made by the ministry of magic. They have a piece of parchment that magically records a person when magic is first noticed in the person and sends them a letter of acceptance. It is important that all persons that have the gift of magic be trained to use it properly and wisely so that these people might not harm themselves or others with their magical abilities. Do you see why it is so important, even vital, that these people who do not know how to use their magic learn to use it?" Harry nodded, some of the mystery solved, but what about the age difference now? What of the other students, especially the Slytherins, who might pick on him? Will pick on him, he thought, correcting his mistake. He wondered would the ministry work as hard to convince the Dursley's as they did for him? As if Dumbledore could read his mind, he told Harry that something peculiar had happened in Dudley's case and the ministry of magic had recently discovered that Dudley did indeed, have magic. When Harry asked what was so peculiar, Dumbledore said that the ministry had just discovered his name on the paper when it should have been there years ago. "After all Harry, you were not the only one of the family who had magic running in your veins. Dudley's magic was passed down through his aunt's, your mother's bloodline. As for the other question, what would you do if you were in his predicament? Would you want to be left to the wolves or would you want to have a friend to help you with?" Harry sighed; he knew what Dumbledore was getting at and he supposed that he could not leave his cousin to the so called 'wolves' though that was exactly what his cousin had done to him when they went to the same elementary school together. Besides, they reminded Harry of chimeras really, Malfoy and his goons more than that but he couldn't think of what at the moment. Somehow, he felt cheated. At that moment, his friends knocked at the door to see if Dumbledore was done taking to Harry. "I do believe your visitors are back so if you have any other questions, you may send me a letter or come to my office when school begins." He stood up and opened the door; Fred, George, Ginny and Ron spilled out onto the floor, one atop the other while Hermione walked into the door with her head held up high. Dumbledore chuckled and Harry laughed so hard, he had to stop for the pain in his ribs. "So, what's up guys? Feeling a little 'down' lately?" said Harry with a large grin. They all smirked at him and Fred and George feined a pained look. "I thought that we were supposed to be the comedians! Now what are we supposed to do now, eh?" Harry grinned at them. " Well, how about making more of those delicious suckers that changes your hair into different colors? That would work for me!" They all laughed at the joke and asked Harry what had Dumbledore and him had talked about. He thought for a minute and decided that Dudley's going to Hogwarts would distract them for the moment, though he knew that Hermione wouldn't be for long. She rarely ever missed a beat and sometimes she reminded him of Dumbledore, only she was corky. "Well, for one, Dudley is going to be attending Hogwarts. Pretty strange huh?" This set his friends in a frenzy, discussing everything that he cared to get down to the bottom of and leading the subject away from the other subject that he and Dumbledore had touched upon and didn't want to get into again. "No way! Your kidding me! Dudley, at Hogwarts? But isn't he too old to start?" Hermione asked, surprised that Dudley would even be allowed to begin studying magic since he was so old. The twins looked astonished. "Is that the kid who. . ." began Fred while George finished the thought with, "we gave the tongue toffee to?" When he nodded, their eyes had an odd gleam in them and a grin that he had remembered them wearing when they discovered that Percy had a girlfriend. Harry didn't know why he did not like that look, he supposed it was because when the twins smiled like that, then something strange that involved him would always happen. In fact, something interesting always happened, now that he thought back on it. Harry decided that he didn't want to know what that might be in this case, he already have told him what a git he was. Knowing them, something explosive no doubt. The door opened and in came a healer with pretty blue eyes and light brown hair. She held a glass vial in her hand and when the Ron turned to look at who had just came in, Harry could tell that he liked her. Hermione seemed to notice it too but she just rolled her eyes. She came up to Harry's bed and took another vial and opened the one in her hand. When she had it opened, she poured the other vials contents in it and it turned a dark gray color, then clear. Harry didn't know for sure, but he thought that he knew what the potion was. The nurse smiled at him and noticed his scar, almost dropping the vials. "You aren't Harry Potter, are you?" Harry blushed slightly and nodded at her. "Yeah, I am. I don't see why everyone treats me so differently though." He mumbled under his breath. She laughed. "Well everyone knows what you done and everyone thinks highly of you." Harry had to stifle a laugh. "They do hmm? Funny thing, in my fifth year at Hogwarts, nobody believed me when I said that Voldemort was back. The Daily Prophet thought I was a joke." He sighed and she sat on the bed beside of him. "Harry, don't worry about everyone else. I believed you then and I believe you now. More than that, I believe in you and so do a lot of people I know. We never gave up on you and we never will. Do you remember getting those letters from when you spoke out about you-know-who a few years ago?" Harry nodded, wondering where she was going with this. Could she have written one of the letters? "Well, what you didn't know about it was the fact that we healers got threatened saying that if we had anything to do with you or Dumbledore we would get fired. The thing was, we read the article on you anyway and sent the letters to you. It was a big risk but it was worth it. You just don't know how special you are to everybody. You are our one hope to one day defeat that monster someday. " She put her arms around him and gave Harry a hug. When they broke it off, she handed him the potion to drink. "Here, drink this. It will stop the pain and heal it, though it takes about an hour so I need you to relax. I will be back shortly." She said as she went out the door. Harry held his nose and drunk the potion in one large swallow. It burned going down and the vial slipped from his hand. It seemed like an age for it to fall. It fell on the hard floor, glass shattering into tiny pieces. The group around Harry rushed to his side and Harry clutched his chest where the rib was broken. Suddenly, just as it never happened, he was fine. He glanced at the broken vial on the floor. Hermione followed his gaze and pointed her wand at it and mumbled 'Reparo!'. The vial was as good as new and she bent to pick it up. She stood and wondered where she could put it and decided on the tabletop beside the sink would be a good place so she put it there. "You okay Harry?" He looked up at her and nodded. "What was that stuff anyway?" She looked inside and smelled. Obviously the smell was almost too much for Hermione as she pulled her hand that held the bottle away from her quickly. "It almost looks like the skele-grow you took when Professor Lockhart . . ." "Yeah, do go and tell us about your little crush Hermione. How he screwed up Harry's arm and made up all that stuff in his books. Seriously Hermione, how you could fall for the biggest idiot in England is beyond me." Ron said as he threw his hands up in the air. Hermione looked like she was about to give Ron one of her stinging retorts when Harry interrupted her train of thought. "So that is what that stuff was? I thought it kind of tasted like it." Hermione turned away from Ron, seemingly unwillingly. "I think it was a bit weaker, but yes I think that is what it seems to me." She shrugged her shoulders. "I could be wrong though." Harry grinned, Hermione was hardly ever wrong when it counted so he trusted her opinion above almost everyone's with the exception of Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall. They chatted a while and the hour went by quickly. The door opened again and the healer came back in. "So, how is our little hero now? Are you feeling better now?" Harry nodded, surprised that an hour had passed by. It had only seemed like a few minutes at the most, time had really flown by. He nodded and caught Ron's eye. Harry could see that he was slightly jealous. "Yeah, I'm feeling fine." She nodded. "Well, though I hate to let my buddy go, you can leave." She looked a little sad at the thought. Harry got out of bed and gave her a quick hug. "Ready guys?" They nodded. Ready as we'll ever be." said Fred as the group got up and stretched with the exception of Harry and the nurse who were already standing. "Oh, I almost forgot to say happy birthday Harry. How old are you now?" the nurse asked as they were almost out of the door. "Thank you. I'm 17 now." He said with the blush on his cheeks growing redder than they were. "Goodness, you're a man now, aren't you?" Harry's cheeks just got redder and redder. Not knowing how ton answer that, he said the only thing he knew what to say. "Thank you." She smiled at him and he smiled back at her. 


	5. Diagon Alley

Diagon Alley  
  
Harry grabbed the cloak from the mysterious sender and put it on. It felt like soft silk enveloping him. He joined the others near the fireplace. Mrs. Weasley was telling them that they would be traveling by floo powder. "Since this is your last year at Hogwarts, me and your father have decided to let you go to Diagon Alley alone." She was wringing her hands as she spoke. "We know that you are growing up and need to spread your wings a bit, though I shudder when I think about it. Not a single turn down Knockturn Alley though!" She said, wagging her finger up and down at the young witches and wizards in front of her. Harry shuddered. He did not want to go to Knockturn Alley ever again. In his second year, he had used floo powder for the first time and ended up there. Needless to say, it had not been a pleasant experience for him and he had no wish to repeat the journey.  
  
"You don't have to worry about that, Mrs. Weasley." Harry said with a shudder. Neville looked at him curiously and the others nodded in sympathy. They had heard all about the accidental trip from Harry himself. They knew that he had no wish to repeat it. Mrs. Weasley looked at him with such an expression, Harry blushed. She reached out and pulled him into a hug. "Oh Harry! Of course, I know you would never go down there! Now then," she said, gaining her composure once more, "Who is first? Ginny?" Ginny come up, grabbed some floo powder, and threw it into the fireplace. "Diagon Alley!" She screamed and she vanished with a burst of green flame.  
  
"Harry?" She asked as he came up, grabbed his own handful and threw it where Ginny's flames had been previously. He hesitated for a moment, sucked in his breath, and walked into the emerald flames. He shouted "Diagon Alley!" and was gone in the next heartbeat. He spun around and around, surrounded by the green flames. He clutched his arms to his sides and pulled his elbows in so not to be hit by anything. It felt like he fell for forever until he saw Ginny on the other side. Unfortunately, she was too close to the grate. Harry tried to get her attention but it was too late.  
  
"Ginny! Look out!" He cried. Ginny turned at the sound and her eyes grew large as Harry crashed on top of her. Both were knocked breathless. Just as Harry was about to get up and help Ginny to her feet, a cold, drawling voice came from above them. Harry groaned inwardly. The last thing he wanted was to have Malfoy catch him in this compromising position. "Well, well, if it isn't Potty and the littlest Weasel. Looks like its time to get a room of your own, isn't it Pansy dearest?" Harry and Ginny looked up and noticed that Pansy was indeed with Malfoy and his gang.  
  
Harry got up and helped Ginny to her feet. He looked Malfoy in the eyes. Oh boy, this is going to be so good! Harry thought and took a relaxed stance and crossed his arms. "Is that so Malfoy? Well, if I were you, I would watch my girl a bit better than you obviously do. She is a bit of a flirt you know. Just ask anybody at school. Before you know it . . . right Pansy?" he said, a small grin playing at his lips. He didn't really know if it were true but he had heard about Pansy being 'easy' and wanted to rub some salt into Malfoy's wounds a bit.  
  
It worked. Malfoy narrowed his eyes and looked at Pansy, nervously twirling a green quill she had picked up from a display and staring down so intently at it, you would have thought it was something rare. His face colored as he snatched the quill out of her hand, threw it back where it had been, grabbed her arm and drug her outside. Harry and Ginny exchanged bemused looks as the others came out of the grate. They burst out laughing much to the confusion to the rest of the group.  
  
"It was so funny! Harry started talking dirt about his girl and he got all hot and bothered about it! That was priceless!" Ginny told the others as they walked out of Flourish and Blotts with their purchases. Ginny had explained the first part since she seen Harry's discomfort, then Harry filled them in on Malfoy. "Man, I wish I could have been there! You get to have all the fun Harry!" exclaimed Ron. Hermione didn't know what to think about it. It was kind of funny but it wasn't good to get Malfoy mad at them like that. It had been below the belt, so to speak, but it was hilarious. She started laughing. Harry and Ron raised their eyebrows but said nothing. Ginny started laughing too, telling Hermione the whole story again.  
  
Neville just looked at Harry with longing in his eyes. He wished that he could be like Harry, so smart, so smart and so cool. Harry always come up with the right spell at the right time, or so it seemed to Neville. Harry always knew exactly what to say and what to do in any situation. Neville wished that he could be just like Harry.  
  
Harry, at the same moment, was wondering what Malfoy was plotting to get him back for that little victory. No doubt something nasty to repay him. It had better not include Ginny or I will . . . wait! What am I thinking? Do I like Ginny? His mind reeled with the answer. What a laugh that is going to be! First she likes me and I reject her because she is Ron's sister and now that she is all grown up, I fall for her when I least expect it! I wonder what she would do if I asked her out? What a minute! Did I just say I was going to ask Ginny Weasley out? I think I am going crazy! I don't know what to do! Do I or don't I? His thoughts were going crazy, circling around each other. He bumped into Hermione and turned to her uncertainly.  
  
"Hermione?" he said uncertainly, not knowing what to say. She came up to him, he wondering what to tell her now that he called her up. Oh, I am such an idiot! Why don't I think of these things before I go and do something so dumb? "Yeah Harry?" She asked as she came toward him. At least Ginny didn't come with her. That is a sigh of relief. "Um. . . you wouldn't do me a favor would you?" he asked nervously. Hermione nodded. "Sure."  
  
"WillyoukeepGinnybusywhileItalktoRon?" he said in one breath and Hermione raised her eyebrow at him. "Do what? I didn't understand what you said. Talk a little slower, please." Harry sucked in his breath and slowed down, though nothing could stop his heart from beating so quickly. "Will you keep Ginny busy while I talk to Ron?" Her eyebrow went up further into her bushy hair. "Yeah, no problem. Good luck." It was Harry's turn to be surprised. "What?" he asked but she had disappeared. He looked behind him and seen that she was back with Ginny. They were already in deep conversation and Harry hoped that it wasn't about what he was about to ask Ron about. Not that he planned on that, but since he said it, he might as well do it. Hermione knew what was going on now; that wasn't avoidable. She wasn't the smartest witch in Hogwart's history for nothing.  
  
"Ron, come on up here a minute." He said and Ron jogged up to him. "Um, Ron, what would you say if someone wanted to go out with Ginny?" Harry asked cautiously. "Well, it would be okay to me as long as it wasn't anyone that was dodgy like that Michael Comer." Ron said in disgust. Harry colored slightly. Ron noticed. "Now, if it was you who was asking, that would be really cool." Ron noticed that Harry's face was getting redder by the minute and guessed what was going on. He shouldered Harry and looked at him suspiciously. "Why are you asking for? You wouldn't be interested in her, now would you?" he asked in a whisper to Harry. Again, he colored. "Um, yeah, I might, that is. I wondered what you thought about it, that's all." He mumbled back. "Uh huh. Well then, why don't you ask her now? Hey Ginny!" he called.  
  
What! No! You idiot! Why in the world did he do that for? Payback is definitely going to be hell for this, he thought as he saw Ginny coming. His eyes widened as Ginny walked up to him as Ron passed her going to Ginny and Neville to tell them what just happened. Slow down heart. Stop beating so fast. Here goes nothing. He sighed and looked at her. "Um, hi Ginny." He said nervously. "Hi Harry. Something wrong?" she asked him and he colored all the more. "No, nothing, just . . . do you want to grab some ice cream?" She looked a little startled but grinned at him. "Sure. Come on, lets go! Beat I can beat you there!" Ginny said and Harry couldn't help but laugh. Ginny was so refreshing, that couldn't be helped. He started to run toward Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor. 


	6. Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor

Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor  
  
Harry had ran as fast as he could but to no avail. Ginny had too much a lead and took full advantage of it. "I beat you! I beat you!" she stuck her tongue out at him in such a childish manner that he laughed. "Ginny, you are so silly. What kind of ice cream do you want?" She thought for a minute. "How about a sundae?" Harry nodded. "Alright. Why don't you find us a seat and I will get the sundaes? The others ought to be in here any minute now." He said though he doubted it. This was probably the best opportunity he had, if he could just get up the nerve to do it. He could face the most powerful wizard in the world without even blinking, but when it came to girls he liked, he got scared. He went up to the front, ordered their ice creams and was just about to go to the table when someone tapped him on the shoulder. He spun around, the sundaes in his hand and looked into the shining eyes of Florean Fortescue himself.  
  
"Hello Harry, it is good to see you back here." He said jovially. "Who is the lovely lady you came in with?" he asked. Harry turned slightly red but managed to keep his voice from sounding like he felt. "That is Ginny Weasley. She is a friend of mine from Hogwarts." He said, glad he didn't stutter or sound nervous. As it was though, Florean saw right through him. "Treat her right, Harry." He said then left quickly so Harry couldn't question him about it. He didn't have time to sit there and ponder though; Ginny was looking at him and he didn't want her to think he was an idiot, so he went over to the table with the ice creams and sat down.  
  
"So Ginny, what have you been up to this summer?" he asked, his voice only slightly higher than usual. She was pondering about it, he saw. "Oh, nothing much. Same old, same old. So, what were you and Mr. Fortescue talking about?" she asked. Harry looked at her in surprise. "Um, nothing much. He helped me work on a project and he was, um, wondering how I did." Oh God, she looks like she knows something. Help, anyone? Well, I suppose I could give it a shot. Wish I wasn't so nervous though. "Um, Ginny?" she looked at him with a crooked smile. "Yeah Harry?" she asked. He looked at her and said, "WhatifIsaidIlikedyou?"  
  
"What? You said that a little too fast for me to catch." She said, looking slightly surprised. Harry took a deep breath and tried to slow down. It was hard though. Why is my heart beating so fast? He wondered. "What if I said that I liked you Ginny?" Her eyes widened. "What way do you mean?" she asked, her heart beating as fiercely as Harry's own heart was. Oh my God! I can't believe it! Harry Potter, the guy I have liked ever since I liked boys is asking me out! He looked uncomfortable so Ginny asked him, "I mean, like as just friends or something more? If your asking if I like you as . . .as. . . "  
  
Harry nodded and Ginny went red. "Yeah, like that. Do you?" he asked and he received a furious nodd from her. "Definitely. You?" He nodded too and smiled at her, feeling bolder. "Yes I do. Now what are we going to do about it?" He asked, a lopsided smile on his face. Just then, the door opened and Ron and Hermione walked in with Neville right behind them. "Answer that question later, Gin." He whispered as they came up. "What do you want Hermione? I think I might get a root beer float." Hermione nodded. "Okay, get me one too. What do you want Neville?"  
  
"How about a sundae?" he said distractedly. He was looking at Ginny. He had went to the Yule Ball with her and other than accidentally stepping on her feet a few times, he had had a nice time. He really liked her but he could never get the courage to ask her out and now . . . Ron was coming back with the ice creams and before long, they had finished them. "Okay, where do you guys want to go next?" asked Harry, wiping his mouth on a napkin and smiling madly. The others shrugged.  
  
"Don't much matter to me but lets wait to go to the Apothecy last. I hate that place." Harry nodded agreeably. If seeing Malfoy wasn't enough, going into his least favorite teacher's haunt was. Of course, Harry didn't know what was going on now. He had not seen Snape much since the day he had came to Grimmauld Place Number 12. Perhaps it was a sort of wake-up call to him; always thinking that Harry always led the perfect life and had everything he could want. That was a laugh.  
  
"Um, how about Ollivander's?" asked Neville quietly. "Gran didn't quite believe me about the year before and I had to use dad's wand wrapped in Spell-o-tape. She gave me some money to get me one since that one blew up." He said and Harry remembered it well. The wand had flown out of his hands with an angry red spark, hitting McGonagall in the chest. He had needed a new one and fast. "Okay then, maybe we can get Ollivander to check our wands out while we are in there." Said Ginny and Harry grabbed his out of his pocket, furiously rubbing it with the corner of the cloak. He didn't want to be embarrassed like he was during the Tri-wizard tournament. They finished their ice creams and headed out the door toward Ollivander's, Harry's hand wrapped in Ginny's. 


End file.
